How Many Of You Play Music Every Day????????????

[Pete Martin]

I play every day. Gig, teach, practice, play with friends. I love it all!

[brandnewsaga]

Yep. I like to play as much as possible. My wife and I went on our ten year anniversary down to the Oregon coast and we went for a hike through some meadow. Anyways to make a long story short she slipped and sprained her wrist badly. So we went to the emergency room. Well there happened to be a music store two blocks from the hospital that happened to have a Breedlove Crossover 00 Nat that was taunting me from an earlier visit to said music shop. So I bought the mandolin after sitting with a few locals, playing tunes and swapping stories. The owner of the store threw in a new strap and strings. After about two or so hours go by with no news as if my wife had been seen yet. I walked back to the emergency room new mandolin cradled in my arms like a newborn baby. I passed through into the magical world of ER waiting rooms. Playing "The Road to Lisdoonvarna". My wife looked up, saw me and, and to my surprise wasn't pissed at what I was carrying. I believe she was still in shock from the tumble she took earlier. As I was played through a few of my favorite fiddle tunes I was also surprised at how few people were bothered with my playing. I then came to the realization that, well of course most of the patrons of the fine state of Oregons health care establishments aren't pissed! They just legalized a plant for recreational purposes that has been known to "alter" ones mood. So I had a captive audience and apparently people playing music publicly is not uncommon in that state. There were a lot of elderly people that seemed to enjoy the tunes I played for them. I only had one person walk away that clearly could not stand my rotation of tunes. And one lady asked if it was a ukulele. I didn't get upset with her I kindly corrected her. By the time we were leaving I had met a few really cool people and hopefully put a few smiles on a few faces. I recommend always taking a mandolin to a waiting room if possible. Unless of course you're the one who is being treated. It was by far the best time I have ever had in an emergency room waiting area.

[TheOne-N-OnlyHomer]

I attempt to practice at least am hour or so everyday, unfortunately it's less on weekends usually because I'm a truck driver and have more time on the road but yeah I try and play some everyday, don't know that I'm good enough yet to call it "music" though lol

[Joey Anchors]

As most here.. I try to practice everyday, but in reality it's more like focused practice 3-4 a week and aimless playing the rest of the time.

[bruce.b]

I play every day, but I need to get more focused and structured. I might take lessons starting sometime this summer.

[woodwizard]

I try to play everyday but between hiking, kayaking, woodcarving, bycycling and work it reallty doesn't happen everyday like I would hope

[BJ O'Day]

I play everyday in 20 minute clumps. Usually get in a couple for 40-60 minutes. Sometimes it's just noodling. Sometimes it's focused on areas I need to improve upon. Even on bad days when I can't fret a note correctly I still enjoy the playing time.
BJ

[John MacPhee]

I play every day BUT I wouldn't call it music!!
John

[Jim]

I play most days. My work schedule is 57 hours where I stay at the hospital from Saturday morning til Monday night. I do have a Mandolin in my locker and sometimes get a chance to play, sometime not. On my 4 days off it is a rare day that I don't play. There is a weekly jam at the grocery co-op as well as another starting up at a pub, I rehearse with my Bassist most weeks and we have a regular monthly gig as well as random jobs that come up. An hour or 2 playing in my studio is also common most mornings I am home as well, though in the summer, I am likely to be outside instead. So, for me it's not quite "Every Day" but certainly most.

[lflngpicker]

I play everyday. I have been at it for over 50 years, more on the guitar, but I got my first vintage Gibson A in 1982, so I added mandolin. I am fortunate to be retired, and thus I can make music my daily activity, passion and consuming interest. The Cafe has given me a renewed pursuit of the mandolin, though guitar, songwriting and entertaining have been with me since I was a boy. I play country, blues, folk, gospel and rock-- 2 to 3 hours per day.

[Loretta Callahan]

I was playing every day when I lived alone. Now that I have a house full of family (with teenagers), and my semi retirement is less semi, I've gone weeks without picking up my mandolin. It's making me pretty sad. I'm in the process of cutting down my work hours and the family doesn't expect me to cook for them anymore. I've been so burned out from working and family chores, all I want to do is have a whiskey sour and hang out or watch TV come evening. Big no bueno as a daily routine.

Of course, I may get a little revenge since my new banjo is on its way. They loved my mandolin playing (although the 13 year old said I played some songs too much: told her this was called practice) …. we'll see what the banjo playing does …. they might beg me to pickup my mandolin while they do dishes.

[BJ O'Day]

all I want to do is have a whiskey sour and hang out or watch TV come evening.

\

If I practice after dinner I don't turn on the TV. "Double benefit". I hate looking at the clock and seeing I spent three or four hours watching the tube.
BJ

[Petrus]

I usually keep one handy on a stand so I can grab it at any odd moment, that insures I'll play every day. You'll find this advice in many beginner instrument books: keep your chosen instrument out of the case and close at hand as much as possible and you'll find yourself playing far more frequently.

Recently I got sick of seeing the dang thing staring at me every day, in an accusatory fashion (imo), so I put it in its case. After less than a day I got so antsy I ended up taking it back out. My fingers just didn't know what to do and were getting all fidgety.

[Mark Wilson]

I usually keep one handy on a stand so I can grab it at any odd moment, that insures I'll play every day.

After the new wore off of guitar (for me) I found this very true. By keeping it out, I was more likely to play it.

With mandolin this is not an issue. If I locked it away in a vault - I'd be playing it every chance. It's the darndest spare time (and not so spare time) magnet ever and I can't really explain why.

[JeffD]

If I locked it away in a vault - I'd be playing it every chance. It's the darndest spare time (and not so spare time) magnet ever and I can't really explain why.

Very true.

[Emmett Marshall]

I'm play almost every day for about an hour or so. I am also teaching bluegrass to an African Grey Parrot who has a very nasty way of letting me know when he thinks I sound terrible.

[Mark Wilson]

I am also teaching bluegrass to an African Grey Parrot who has a very nasty way of letting me know when he thinks I sound terrible.

My dog comes to sit nearby when I play in the evening. There are a couple of tunes I play that will make him wander off every time. OJC in particular is not a tune he will sit thru for the second time.

[oldwave]

every day at least an hour
when i prepared for a Vivaldi mandolin concerto performance in May
two hours a day for 4 months

[k0k0peli]

My dog comes to sit nearby when I play in the evening. There are a couple of tunes I play that will make him wander off every time. OJC in particular is not a tune he will sit thru for the second time.

I used to sit back in a comfy chair with a 5-string banjo or grandpa's ancient banjo-mandolin on my lap. My amazing cat would jump onto my knee, place her head next to the banjo head, and dig in her claws and howl with the high notes. What a perv. (Yes, I learned to put a thick towel across my knee.)

I usually keep one handy on a stand so I can grab it at any odd moment, that insures I'll play every day. You'll find this advice in many beginner instrument books: keep your chosen instrument out of the case and close at hand as much as possible and you'll find yourself playing far more frequently.

I keep instruments leaning around my at-home sit-down work spaces, in the bedroom, and I *should* get a plastic 'uke to leave on the front porch. Handy instruments get played. Cased instruments don't. My wife encouraged me to turn one wall of our morning room into a music showplace; a couple dozen acoustic axes (and other noisemakers) are facing me at this very moment. Let's see, it's the Harmonia mandola's turn...

[Barry Wilson]

I try to pick up an instrument every day. I am finding I play more OM than mandolin as time goes on. it just fits solo accompaniment much better.

[Bertram Henze]

Handy instruments get played. Cased instruments don't.

For some reason, it has always been the exact opposite for me. I had some instruments on stands for years, and I have lots of them on the walls today - they all display a common expression of silent reproach, unpleasant, like Mom saying "did you do your practising today?"

But the ones I play most are those giving me the prelude of unlatching, unzipping. My choice, my time, not theirs.

[sblock]

My dog comes to sit nearby when I play in the evening. There are a couple of tunes I play that will make him wander off every time. OJC in particular is not a tune he will sit thru for the second time.

Hey, I feel the same way as your dog about Old Joe Clark! Great minds think alike?

[Bob A]

Sometimes I don't pick up an instrument for weeks; it's usually the case that some really good stuff comes pouring out of me after that sort of hiatus.